1909. 
719 
THE ORCHARD GRASS SEED CROP. 
Scenes such as the one shown at Fig. 415 are a 
very common sight here during July and August. 
The growing of Orchard grass seed is a quite impor¬ 
tant industry with many of our farmers, and that 
this is so is shown by the fact that the northern 
and northwestern parts of Highland and the south¬ 
ern parts of Clinton counties produce nearly two- 
,thirds of the world’s supply of this grass seed. The 
soil of the sections alluded to seems to suit this 
plant so well that the seed produced seems to be in 
good demand owing to its superior quality. While 
this grass will grow on almost any kind of soil, yet 
to produce the best seed it requires a warm, well 
drained, sandy clay soil, perfectly upland. Kentucky 
and Indiana produce some Orchard grass seed also,, 
but the bulk is produced here. Our Orchard grass 
seed goes to many States of the Union, and quite a 
lot is exported, some going direct to Germany, where 
the grass grows well, *but where the seed is not eco¬ 
nomically produced. Orchard grass seed is sown in 
the early Spring or late Winter on wheat, or alone, 
at the rate of 1J4 to two bushels per acre. 
If it does well it should be large enough to 
produce a crop of seed the second year. Of course, 
the yield varies with the soil, but usually the crop 
is quite remunerative. The crop is harvested with 
wheat binders and shocked up in the field till thrash¬ 
ing time. Thrashing is done with ordinary separa¬ 
tors, the riddles only being changed. The seed 
weighs 14 pounds to the bushel, and about 100 
pounds are put in the large burlap bags, such as are 
shown in the picture. The seed is hauled to the 
local dealer, who recleans and repacks it, or it is 
shipped to some seedsman who makes a specialty of 
handling Orchard grass seed. Some of the growers 
have formed an association for better marketing of 
the seed, but the writer is now unaware that better 
prices were secured in this way. For seed from 
HAULING ORCHARD GRASS SEED TO MARKET. 
,Fig. 415. 
the separator the price usually is about $1.25 to $1.40 
per bushel, and as the fields produce good crops for 
several years without reseeding and the. yield per 
acre averages about 10 bushels, this crop is really 
more profitable than wheat. Orchard grass makes 
good early pasture, and good hay, but is a little 
coarse, and is not readily eaten when stock have 
access to other grasses or hay at the same time. 
However, when once used to it and there is no 
other grass to take their attention, stock eat this 
grass with a relish and thrive upon it. Orchard 
grass has a habit of growing in tufts or bunches, 
hence it should be sown thickly if sown alone or with 
other -grasses or clovers if intended for hay or pas¬ 
ture. With the farmers here Orchard grass is pri¬ 
marily grown for seed, but some is grown for pas¬ 
ture and practically none for hay. 
Ohio. _w. E. DUCKVVALL. 
SOD OR CULTURE FOR PEACHES ON A 
SMALL SCALE. 
A FALL-SET ORCHARD.—Having about three 
acres of Red-top meadow with a fairly good stand 
■" grass, which we wanted to save to make hay for 
our horse, we decided to set our peach orchard in 
this sod. Having purchased the land late in the Fall 
of 1907, and not wishing to lose any time in getting 
things started on our new suburban home, we de¬ 
cided to set the peach trees as soon as we could get 
them. I also ha-d ideas of my own about Fall-set 
t‘Ces, that they would be all ready to start growing 
111 *he Spring. The ground would settle around the 
loots and the tree would become established* to its 
■ cw surroundings. Dormant buds would not be so 
Imc-ly to get knocked off, and bruised or skinned 
l imes seem to heal more rapidly. Our land is rolling 
■11 clicl not want to set the peach trees on the low 
v aind on account of the danger of a late freeze, so we 
planted three rows of apple next to the hollow and on 
N ' 0 \ ember 10 began setting the peach on the higher 
ground, running the rows to the top of the hill. The 
■ cple were set 30 feet apart each way and the peach 
THto RURAL NEW-YORKER 
20x30, to match the apple rows; the first row of 
peach being set 20 feet from the last row of apple. 
In the first row of apple we set 10 Giant Jeniton, 
second row 10 , Liveland raspberry, third row 10 
Grimes Golden. Of the peach the following varieties 
were set: One row of Elberta, one row of Alton, one 
of Krummel October, one row of Champion. In set¬ 
ting we were careful to prune off all broken roots 
PEACH SIX MONTHS IN CULTIVATION. Fig. 41G. 
and cut back the longer roots to fit the hole, a sort 
of modified Stringfellow method, as I believe a short 
root is better for the tree than a long one curled 
around in the hole. In setting, the sod was cut and 
thrown in one pile, and the first three or four inches 
of soil carefully saved to put back in the hole first. 
I he top soil is only about six inches thick, and then 
you strike “old yaller clay.” The trees were set 
about x* ct7 16 inches deep, we aiming to get the 
tree deep enough to cover the scar or joint where the 
bud was inserted. 1 he top soil was thrown in first 
and tramped as firmly as possible around the roots; 
then the remainder of the dirt and the sod lastly, 
placed roots up as a mulch on this. As soon as a 
tree was set it was cut back to a straight stick 18 
inches above the ground, no more, no less. I believe 
in low-headed trees, especially peach, and several 
times during the Winter when passing the orchard T 
could hardly keep from cutting off six inches more. 
My wife would see me whittling on one and sire 
would say, in an ironical tone of voice: “That’s right.; 
cut them off at the ground and be done with it.” On 
the apple which were two years old I left more head, 
aiming to trim to an even balanced top. 
I HE I’IRSI MULCH.—The following month I 
had about a wheelbarrow load of manure thrown off 
at each tree; this being bought at a livery stable, was 
about one-half green sawdust, and the wonder is that 
the acid in the sawdust did not kill outright or injure 
the trees, but so far I have been unable to detect 
any evil results therefrom. This manure was placed 
evenly around the trees, and the following Spring was 
spaded into the ground. After the hay was cut what 
was left on the ground was raked up and placed 
around the trees for mulch. Everyone knows what a 
dry Summer 1908 was, and for over three months 
those trees never had a drop of water, yet they made 
PEACH TREE TWO YEARS IN SOD. Fig. 417. 
a fair growth and ripened their wood early, owing 
to the extreme drought. At the end of the growing 
season most of them had formed a pretty fair head, 
and had made a new growth of about 18 inches. In 
the Fall of 1908 I again had a wheelbarrow load of 
sawdust manure thrown around each tree, in addition 
to about a peck of unleached wood ashes. The wood 
ashes were applied first and leveled down around the 
trees, and the manure thrown on top of this. When 
the orchard* was set each tree was protected with a 
veneer wrapper of wood, and this was left on till the 
Spring of 1909. In throwing the wood ashes around 
the trees some fell inside these wooden wrappers, and 
before it was removed we had a heavy rain. On dis¬ 
covering my mistake I was “scared green,” but fortu¬ 
nately it did not turn out as bad as expected. The 
lye ate the bark off one side of some of the peach 
trees where water ran down the trunk, but did not 
seem to injure the apple. Fortunately, this damage 
occurred at the base of the tree, and the wrapper 
was removed and a mud mound plastered up around 
the tree over and above the burn. At this writing, 
July 10, there is scarcely a scar noticeable. The 
wooden wrappers are all right for Winter use, but 
should be removed early in the Spring, as they make 
the bark tender and are conducive to water sprouts. 
The Red-top hay is again ready to cut and will aver¬ 
age 114 ton to the acre. The peach trees have made 
a wonderful growth this Summer, and will average 
five feet high, with a spread of top of four feet 
through. About June 1 the ha.y was cut in a circle 
around each tree and placed on the ground for mulch. 
Fig. 417 will show what the trees look like with almost 
two years on them, but I have no doubt they would 
have made a far better showing had the first Summer 
been favorable. So much for sod culture. 
STRAWBERRIES AND PEACHES ON SOD.- 
Desiring to set out a new patch of strawberries in 
the Spring of 1909, I broke up about one-half acre 
of this Red-top sod last November adjoining the 
peach orchard. This was left rough and broken all 
Winter, and as soon as the ground was frozen we 
gave it a good coat of manure, hauling 10 loads of 
good stable manure and scattering over the ground. 
In the meantime I thought this would be a good time 
to extend my peach orchard farther up the hill to¬ 
wards the house, so I ordered 150 Carman peach, 
third size, and set in this newly plowed ground, 
and in scattering the manure over the ground I had 
a liberal quantity placed around each tree, also about 
a peck of the same wood ashes spoken of above. 
These trees were pruned and set just like those set 
in the sod. This • Spring this piece of ground was 
again broken up, turning the manure under and the 
rotten sod back on top. The ground was plowed 
deep and harrowed thoroughly both ways, and I took 
a hand rake and smoothed the dirt down around 
AN ALABAMA FISHING SHED. Fig. 418. 
the trees where the harrow could not go for fear of 
injuring them. This ground was then set in straw¬ 
berries, and has been thoroughly cultivated ever since 
I am using a Planet, Jr., 12-tooth cultivator to do 
the work. The rows of strawberries were set parallel 
with the rows of peach, and a row of berries set in 
the row of trees so that the trees would receive the 
same cultivation that the berries received, and at the 
same time not interfere with cultivation. 
A COMPARISON OF RESULTS.—This last set¬ 
ting of peach tells the tale of sod versus thorough 
cultivation. I also believe it argues in favor of the 
smaller trees at setting time. The trees in the sod 
were first-class trees, or firsts in size, and, although 
'the trees set last Fall were third size, or what 
some would call culls, to-day there is not much differ¬ 
ence in the size of those set last Fall, Fig. 416, and 
those that have been in the sod almost two years. Of 
course, we have to make allowances in the former 
orchard for the dry season of last year, but I am 
more than convinced that if they had had the same 
cultivation as the. trees set in the strawberry patch 
the latter would not have almost caught up with 
them in one season’s growth. Scarcely any pruning 
has been done in either orchard. In the former or¬ 
chard it was not needed last year, owing to the scant 
growth, and in the latter setting I am waiting till the 
heads form better. However, I shall prune some this 
Winter after the leaves are off, as one can better see 
just what limbs should come off. I believe in Summer 
pruning to induce fruitfulness, but I shall do that 
next Summer. The borers are as scarce as hens’ 
teeth in this orchard, and I believe it can be attributed 
to the wood ashes and the wooden wrappers. I have 
a theory in regard to the use of wooden wrappers 
that I have never seen advocated in any fruit jour¬ 
nals, and that is that Mr. Spider soon spins the hollow 
full of webs, and when the moth starts down the 
tree to lay her eggs she becomes entangled in this 
web and is soon made short work of by Mr. Spider. 
I never kill a spider in my orchard, and I believe 
thdy are as useful as the birds as an insect destroyer. 
The ashes being worked in around the base of the 
tree may also operate against the invasion of the 
borer, and being put on in an unleached condition, 
are too strong for Mrs. Moth’s constitution. How¬ 
ever, we shall see what we shall see. The wooden 
wrappers go back on this Fall and will be removed 
again about the middle of June next, care being taken 
to rub off all sprouts that start under them. 
Daviess Co., Tnd. s. h. burton. 
